West Seattle | A Great Place to Get Lost

I hate having plans. That’s just how I was made. Instead of plotting out every step I’m going to take every day, I’d prefer to just hop in my car with my camera, take a few random turns and see where I end up. Tove and I have done this several times and we’ve run across some awesome places along the way. Random adventures aren’t exclusive to just Tove and me, though. I recently got lost in West Seattle with my mom (one of my other top travel partner).

The Seattle skyline from West Seattle

My mom and I actually didn’t plan on a random adventure through West Seattle, but after we missed one of our turns — there was no stopping us. If you’ve never been to West Seattle, you need to go the next time you’re in the Emerald City. It’s like being in the big city, but in your own small community. There are incredible views of the Seattle skyline, beaches and plenty of great bars and restaurants (my mom and I stopped for fish and chips at Spud — the oldest fast food joint in Seattle).

West Seattle is across Elliott Bay from downtown Seattle, so like I mentioned, there are awesome views of the city skyline, mountains and Puget Sound. My mom and I visited all the best spots for views. We went to Jack Block Park, Seacrest Park, Don Armeni Boat Ramp, Hamilton Viewpoint Park and the old Luna Park pier.

A view of the Space Needle from West Seattle

On the west side of West Seattle, there’s Alki Beach, Me-Kwa-Mooks Park and several other awesome viewpoints. Instead of looking out on the city, you get spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, Mt. Rainier and even Mt. Baker. On a sunny day, it’s hard to find a more impressive area than West Seattle.

You can find plenty of sea life in West Seattle as well. Sea lions are a pretty common sight on Elliott Bay (and you can even hear them barking), and if you’re really lucky, you can even see whales from the various viewpoints in West Seattle (at least that’s what the signs say). There are also spots for bird watching (we saw cormorants, grebes and other water fowl) and great tide pools near Me-Kwa-Mooks Park (4503 Beach Dr. SW).

A beautiful sunset on the beach in West Seattle

There are tons of attractions to keep you busy in Seattle, but there’s no better place to get lost than West Seattle (especially on a beautiful day). I’ve ventured around West Seattle several times and it never, ever gets old. If you live in Seattle, you already know what I’m talking about. As for tourists, I highly recommend making the trek across the West Seattle bridge, or taking the water taxi across the bay when you visit Seattle. The views of the skyline are worth the trip alone.

What do you think about West Seattle? What’s your favorite spot (viewpoint, restaurant — anything)? We’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Don’t forget to check out more of our adventures right now on Seattle Bloggers!